Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to make comments and to pay tribute to a gentleman, a real gentlemen. Tsebin Tchen was a wonderful person. When I joined the Senate he was leaving, so there was only ever a very short overlap in our time here together. I know that when Tsebin Tchen left this place, he continued his time of service.

With half of us born oversees or having at least one parent born oversees, Tsebin Tchen reflected very much the face of mainstream Australia today. But, as has been said before, at the time when he came to this place, there weren't many people of diverse background serving in this place. In many ways, he lay the path for people, such as myself, from different backgrounds to come to this place and serve one's country.

When you looked at Tsebin Tchen, you would never have thought he was 78, because he was such an active person. I think that there were many years of service left for him before, sadly, he was taken in an accident. I pay tribute to him and the work that he did before he came to this place—the struggles that he and his family went through and the things that have been acknowledged about his service before. Today, as I said, not only do we remember a senator who contributed to the diversity of this place but we well and truly respect the gentleman that he always was.